A Jewel Of A Girl
by lilkawa
Summary: Henry Tilney can't wait to see Miss Morland again


_Northanger Abbey_ doesn't belong to me.

 **A Jewel Of A Girl**

Henry Tilney couldn't help himself. It was absurd, unnatural really, but he was excited. He excited about going back to the Pump Rooms; no, he could admit it to himself. He was excited about seeing Catherine again. Miss Catherine Morland. He couldn't wait to talk to her, to tease her and to dance with her again.

'Stop it,' he told himself for the second time. She was just a girl, the same as all other girls he'd ever met. She'd probably forgotten all about him by now. Bath was full of exciting things and people _and_ he'd been away for many days already. 'She's just a girl,' he told himself, 'just another girl.'

000

He took another glance around the room. He couldn't see her anywhere. He couldn't believe how disappointed he felt.

"Relax," Eleanor said.

"What?" Henry turned to face his sister. "I'm perfectly relaxed."

"She's probably dancing," Eleanor said. "So, we'll wait for the set to end and then you'll look for her."

"I'm not looking for anyone," he denied, weakly.

Eleanor smiled knowingly at him. Now, she really couldn't wait to meet Catherine Morland. She had never seen her brother act like this.

The set ended and Henry saw Catherine; she was standing on the side with two young men and a young woman. "There she is," he whispered to Eleanor, and his sister nodded, "let's go and greet her, shall we?"

"Miss Morland," he smiled at Catherine, "allow me to introduce Eleanor, my sister."

000

Henry found them some chairs and the three of them sat down together.

"This is very exciting," Catherine said. The siblings looked at each other and then at her.

"What is?" Eleanor asked.

"A while ago I knew no one in Bath," Catherine explained, "and now I know you and the Thorpes, John and Isabella, and even my brother's here in Bath."

"Your brother?" Henry asked.

"Yes," Catherine replied, "I know it was rude of me not to introduce you to my friends when you arrived but I was so excited at the thought of seeing you again." Later Catherine would think about the impropriety of saying that to a man you barely knew but she couldn't think of such things then.

"We were also very eager to see you again," Eleanor said, smiling. "Of course, Henry had met you before, but I was very eager to meet you."

"If I had known that Mr. Tilney had a sister I would have been as well," Catherine admitted.

"I did mention that I had a sister," Henry reminded her.

"Yes," Catherine agreed, "but I must confess that I had forgotten all about it until just now when you introduced us."

"Shall I fetch you something to drink?" Henry asked them, and when they agreed, he stood up and left them alone.

"You can't imagine how surprised I was to see your brother again," Catherine said, as they watched Henry walk off. "I was so sure he had gone from Bath."

"Yes," Eleanor said, "when he saw before, he was here to engage lodgings for us; he only stayed the one night."

"Your brother dances very well," Catherine said to Eleanor.

"Yes," Eleanor agreed, "yes, he does."

"And he is very amusing," Catherine continued.

"Yes," Eleanor agreed, "when he cares to be." She could see that Catherine Morland cared very greatly for her brother.

"So, how do you like Bath?" she asked. "It is your very first time here, isn't it?"

"I like it very much indeed."

"There are some very pretty walks about," Eleanor said, "Henry and I walk most mornings. Would you care to join us one day?"

"Yes," Catherine enthused, "more than anything I love long walks."

"In that case shall we walk tomorrow at twelve?" Eleanor suggested, "unless it rains?"

"Yes," Catherine smiled widely. She couldn't wait.

000

"I like your Miss Morland."

Henry was surprised that it had taken his sister this long to bring Catherine up. "She's not my Miss Morland."

Eleanor smiled knowingly at her brother. "You like her."

"She's a very interesting young woman," Henry said. "Of course I like her."

"Me too," Eleanor replied. "I like her very much."

"Her candour is very refreshing isn't it?" Henry asked.

"Yes it is," Eleanor agreed. "And she is very pretty."

Henry just smiled. He wasn't going to be drawn into a discussion about Catherine Morland. He had said more than enough about her already.

"I think I'll turn in now," Eleanor said, standing up. "I'll say good night."

"Good night Eleanor," he said.

He made his way to his room. He couldn't wait for the morning.

000


End file.
